Singing the joys of quilting

I have had the most fabulous couple of weeks with my quilting projects I thought it is worth singing about.  So without any further ado let me show you.

       

I have started a sampler of my hand quilting, it is really quilting fast, this is only 14.5".  I am so happy with it and am hoping to have it complete in about 24 hrs time.  I am using 28wt Aurifil thread and Kona Solids with Hobbs Tuscany Wadding.  It really makes the design pop. 🎉

Once I finish my wholecloth sampler I plan on finishing this Hawaiian Style cushion.  It is also a joy to work on.  With this I am using 12 wt aurifil thread and Kona Solids again with Hobbs Tuscany Wadding.  I really love the echoing quilting, what about you?

I had an order for some more vintage bunting so I got to creating these again,  they are so much fun

Then all of my tea towels had sold out so back to the drawing board for some more cupcakes

Then these delightful will eventually form a new quilt I am creating.  What do you think of this one?

This should have been published a few days ago but I got carried away quilting so here is the finish of the sampler and where I am with my Hawaiian 

Thanks for reading and leaving me a hello, I love hellos! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend as it is the start of our here down under

Have fun quilting, and keep smiling!

Wendy

Charm Dance!

Welcome back to the Autumn Quilt Bloggers Festival.  Thank you to Amy from Amy's Creative side and to all of the sponsors for your support and making this possible

I would love you to vote for me when voting opens here, for my charm dance quilt
I have also entered my Sydney Swans Quilt here in original designs. 
I would also love you to nominate me now for viewers choice with my Sydney Swans quilt by filling out the form on this link, thank you

Let Charm Dance begin, first we will play the music!  So grab your partner and lets rock!

A new friend from Texas asked if I could help her make a quilt online for her daughter.  She showed me what she wanted and asked if it was possible.  I said of course!  I had some charms that were given to me and I wanted to do something with them.  So out came my Kona solids and I decided on the grey and pool as my solids.

beginning stages

My husband and I found out a friend was feeling not well and needed some treatment.  I was suppose to make her a big quilt but decided I would make this quilt alongside my friend from Texas (via msgs etc) and I would gift mine once finished to our sick friend.  As sometime I take way to long on a big quilt.

starting to come together

I started working on this and realised I needed some more charms.  I was at my sewing group and a friend had a pack so I was able to buy the pack from her...a little bit further I decided I would need another pack so later that day a search with another friend located some not far from me.  So the very next morning I rang and purchased that pack.  I had to wait a day for them to arrive and then back into the sewing of the top and the border to complete my flimsy.

one quilt top ready to go on the frame

This quilt top without the delays of waiting for a charm pack really only took two days at maximum to complete.  The finished size of the flimsy is 53"

commencement of quilting

Next delay was waiting on the Wadding to arrive.  I decided as we are coming into summer it might be nice to use a cotton batting, so I ordered Quilters Dream Request and it was magic. I also needed a batting so around to the local lady who has some backings I needed this quilt to be done fast.  I had also decided that using 12 wt Aurifil would be the go.  After using it on my Sydney Swans quilt I knew I could quilt fast.  

Next to decide was on the design.  I decided a nice large overall pattern would work well.  So i drew a large daisy and laid it on top of the quilt on my frame.  and it looked great so off to work I went.

quilting away

Between the daisy I decided big loops to link were the way to go and to even out the quilting.  I managed to do a row a day so 4 days of quilting and I just loved how it all came to life.

finishing stages

As soon as I had it off the frame the sun had just come out in the morning so out onto the front verandah to see the sun sparkle on that quilt.  Then back into to start the binding and the label.

my little label to complete the quilt

Once the label was on and it was into the machine for washing and then drying.

washed and drying

We then had to take a little journey for a lovely photo shoot.  Here she is waiting on the station for the train that doesn't come to town anymore!  So instead I had to deliver this little beauty to the recipient myself.

waiting on the platform before delivery

Once again I would love to thank Amy for hosting and I encourage you all to check out her blog and site and all of the eye candy in this years festival.

Thanks again for reading my little charm dance story, I hope your feet were tapping to the beat.

Until next time have a wonderful read of all the blogs and keep on smiling,

Wendy

Sydney Swans quilt

Welcome to my post for the Autumn Quilt Bloggers Festival 2015

Thank you all for taking the time to read, vote and nominate my quilts for the following.  I would like to thank Amy for hosting and for all of the supporters for their generosity into making this a wonderful time of the year to celebrate our quilts.

I would appreciate if you could please click here and nominate me for viewers choice by filling out the form, this is open now.

My Sydney Swans quilt is entered into original design category here, please click on and vote by clicking the heart button once voting opens

I have also entered my Charm Dance in the Modern Quilt section here, once again click on the little heart once voting opens.  thank you

Now let the story begin

So here is my quilt complete

So let me begin at the very beginning.  My youngest daughters partner is an avid Sydney Swans Football Fan.  It was his upcoming 21st birthday and my daughter and I decided he needed a quilt for this celebration in the form of a red and white quilt.

Starting of the arcs

I had a little bit of a design forming in my head.  I figured that the Sydney Opera House which is in their emblem wasn't so far removed from the traditional block called New York Beauty.  So with a bit of drawing and tweaking the above arc was the start of my blocks for the main part of the quilt.

lots of arcs complete

I had decided the centre of the quilt would be like the Jumper the footy players wear.  So I went about making this.  It required a bit of appliqué work and was lots of fun.  Except I thought I had it all looking fabulous and my husband pointed out that part of it wasn't quite right.  So back to drawing and re working the opera house in the emblem and all was good.

here is the Centre of the quilt ready for construction

Starting to take shape with additional blocks

Start of the border quilting

start of the arc quilting

moving along ready to start another block with some of the background grid showing

another photo of the quilting advancing

This was the centre of the quilting 

Centre of the quilt coming to life with the quilting

During the quilting I decided this would be good as a quillow, incase you do not know this term it is when a quilt becomes a pillow or cushion.  As my daughters partner used to play for the juniors I decided it would be cool to make the cushion the back of a jumper as if he was still playing.

Binding being completed

I had been quite busy with life matters leading up to this quilt being made.  I had two weeks to complete this quilt.  I did not have the quilt quite done for the party, It was all quilted and ready to bind and assemble as a quillow on the night.  So it was presented in a box and I then brought it home and finished it and he received it a couple of days later.  I hand quilted this in 10 days.

all folded up as a quillow

This Quilt measured 80' x 60".  It was made using Kona Solids and quilted with Aurifil 12 weight thread using Hobbs Tuscany Wadding.

Thank you for taking the time to celebrate this quilt and the reason it was made.  I do thank you very much for voting for me and I do thank Amy from Amy's Creative Side for making this all so possible.

Until next time thank you and remember to check everyones quilts out and enjoy the eye candy of all.

Quilting makes me smile,

Wendy.

Fun coasters

I had lots of fun this morning making these coasters!

So much fun in fact I thought it only fair to share how I made them, so here are my notes:-

Firstly I cut out six cirlces from my cream Kona solid and six cirlces of my fun print.  I also cut six circles from a thin wadding.  The circles were 5.5".  I then used a gathering stitch and gathered the edge of the circle to pull the raw edges inward.  I placed the batting within the bottom circle and pressed it flat.  

I then did the same gathering on the plain Kona fabric and then placed it over the bottom so a small amount of the base was showing.  I then pinned the centre.

After this I used 12wt Aurifil mako thread and did some fun big stitch quilting in the shap of a flower after I had stitched all around the circle.

Just like this

And here are my finished coasters which I have posted to my swap buddy.  I have some coasters on the way to me and they should be here next week, I can't wait to receive them. 

I hope you all have a wonderful Wednesday. Please leave a comment on how your Wonderful Wednesday I would love to hear!

Until then, have a fun day

Wendy